In a decision intended to acknowledge the role of homemakers, the Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that the loss of a wife's domestic services must be considered as a distinct category of compensation in claims brought under the Motor Vehicles Act (MV Act). As reported by Bar & Bench, a Bench of Justices Sanjay Karol and NK Singh issued the ruling in a motor accident compensation matter concerning a widower whose wife was killed in a road accident. The Court awarded enhanced compensation, noting that the contributions of a homemaker go well beyond traditional economic valuation.
The Bench referred to homemakers as "nation-builders" and emphasised that their role in raising families and nurturing future generations is vital to the progress of society and the nation. Acknowledging the importance of this unpaid labour, the Court assessed the loss of domestic care at Rs 30,000 per month, thereby establishing an additional head of compensation beyond the principles set out in the landmark Pranay Sethi judgment.
The Court observed that a homemaker’s work supports the development of each family member and benefits the nation at large. It recognised the difficulty of assigning a monetary value to this work but held that the law must provide fair compensation to families for the loss of these services.
In addition to establishing the new compensation principle, the Supreme Court urged the Chief Justices of all High Courts to closely oversee the handling of motor accident claim cases. It stressed that the summary procedure outlined in Section 169 of the Motor Vehicles Act must be applied fully and faithfully to guarantee swift delivery of justice.
The decision arose from an appeal challenging a 2024 verdict of the Punjab and Haryana High Court related to a 2001 collision between two jeeps that resulted in the death of a woman. In that ruling, the High Court had granted compensation exceeding ₹8 lakh to her husband and three children.